'We Mourn, We Fight, We Love': Moving Forward as a Trans Dad in Trump's America

Chase StrangioBroadly

In the early morning hours of November 9, 2016, I began to accept the reality that Donald Trump would be the next President of the United States and that the GOP would control both chambers of Congress.

By this time, I had been watching election coverage on four different screens for eight hours; when the map started to turn in Trump’s favor, I could barely move. I hoped that if I watched long enough, the image on the screen would change or the world would change or something would suddenly, fundamentally shift in order to prevent our new reality. But I also knew this wouldn’t happen. Not only because the numbers were clear, but also because the racism and white supremacy that fueled this election cycle are central to our national character. We are a nation founded on the genocide of Native Americans, with a legal system created to maintain chattel slavery. This is our truth and no amount of sitting on my couch was going to change that.